Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis, December 22 (WINN) - The Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) and former Premier, Vance Amory, confirmed that his party’s candidate for Nevis #11, Mr. Alexis Jeffers, did, until recently, hold dual citizenship with the United States.

Mr. Amory told WINN in an interview that it was no secret that Mr. Jeffers held dual citizenship but that he renounced it just recently. “Once the matter flared up as it did, some weeks ago he made a decision and went to Barbados to deal with that matter,” according to the CCM Leader.

Mr. Amory was unable to recall exactly when Mr. Jeffers had been announced as the Constituency #11 candidate but hastened to add that it was sometime ago, before the whole matter of dual citizenship became such a hot topic for political debate. He said, “Although it was there before and although it was in the constitution, I think like so many people, the constitution talked about it, but it was largely ignored. Not with any disrespect by other persons, I don’t think. It was not any intention on our part or on his part to flaunt the constitution, its just that the matter came up and he said listen, [ ] I’m not going to jeopardize my chances nor the chances of the party.”

As leader of the party, Mr. Amory told WINN that he was satisfied the renunciation process had been completed “as far as it could have gone up to that point”.

Meanwhile, Vance Amory is dismissing reports that he has or had dual citizenship with another country.

“I have never held any other passport……or citizenship of any other country other than St. Kitts and Nevis. I’ve been accused for the last however many years of holding many, many citizenships but I’m a real Nevis man and a real citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis and it never crossed my mind really,” Mr. Amory said candidly.

He is satisfied that neither he nor Mr. Jeffers can be accused of holding dual citizenship whenever nomination day comes.

According to the Constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis, a person is not qualified to sit in Parliament if he/she is under any 'acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.'

The recently passed The National Assembly Elections Amendment Act of 2009 obligates all political candidates to swear on Nomination Day that they do not hold dual citizenship with another country.